Things to know: Erik Karlsson responds to Kings’ Doughty’s take on trade

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San Jose Sharks' Erik Karlsson (65) talks to San Jose Sharks' Evander Kane (9) and San Jose Sharks' Joe Pavelski (8) before a face-off against the Anaheim Ducks in the third period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2018. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

San Jose Sharks' Erik Karlsson (65) talks a player from the Calgary Flames before a face-off in the second period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

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San Jose Sharks' Erik Karlsson (65) smiles while on the ice during their game against the Calgary Flames in the second period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

San Jose Sharks' Erik Karlsson (65) stretches on the ice before their preseason game against the Calgary Flames at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. The $1 donation per card will be donated to Make-A-Wish. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

San Jose Sharks' Erik Karlsson (65) controls the puck against Calgary Flames' Travis Hamonic (24) in the first period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

San Jose Sharks general manager Doug Wilson, left, and San Jose Sharks' Erik Karlsson (65) listen to questions as Karlsson is introduced as the newest member of the San Jose Sharks at the Hilton in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

San Jose Sharks' Erik Karlsson (65) shakes hand with general manager Doug Wilson as he is introduced as the newest member of the San Jose Sharks at the Hilton in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

San Jose Sharks' Erik Karlsson (65) waits for a face-off against the Calgary Flames in the first period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

San Jose Sharks' Timo Meier (28) talks to San Jose Sharks' Erik Karlsson (65) before a face-off against the Calgary Flames in the third period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

(Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

San Jose Sharks' Erik Karlsson (65) takes a shot against the Calgary Flames in the second period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

San Jose Sharks' Erik Karlsson (65) takes a shot against the Calgary Flames in the second period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson (65) had an assist in the first period of San Jose's preseason game against the Calgary Flames on Thursday at SAP Center in San Jose. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

San Jose Sharks' Erik Karlsson (65) talks to San Jose Sharks' Joe Pavelski (8) and San Jose Sharks' Logan Couture (39) before a face-off against the Calgary Flames in the first period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

San Jose Sharks' Erik Karlsson (65) waits for a face-off against the Calgary Flames in the first period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

San Jose Sharks' Erik Karlsson (65) controls the puck against Anaheim Ducks' Kiefer Sherwood (64) in the second period at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2018. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

San Jose Sharks' Erik Karlsson (65) speaks to the media during a press conference introducing him as the newest member of the San Jose Sharks at the Hilton in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

LOS ANGELES — In a sport where players are often quick to reach for the cliché, Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty isn’t afraid to speak honestly and spit out quotes that make good headline fodder.

With that in mind, it isn’t surprising that Doughty found a way to spin the Sharks addition of Erik Karlsson to a blue line that already includes Brent Burns in a skeptical light.

“I’m questioning what’s going to happen there. Two All-Star D like that,” Doughty told Lisa Dillman of the Athletic on the first day of Kings training camp.

“They both want the puck all the time. They both want all the touches on the power play. You might see some turmoil there, you never know.”

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According to Dillman, Doughty giggled after he made the poke-the-bear statement, signaling that he was clearly joking when he suggested that the Karlsson trade could trigger the downfall of the Sharks. In truth, Doughty is excited about the prospect of squaring off against the two-time Norris Trophy winner four times a year instead of two with the possibility of a meeting in the Stanley Cup playoffs, as well. Doughty’s ultra-competitive and will relish the chance to test himself against the gold standard at his position.

Karlsson said the feeling is mutual.

“It’s always fun to play against good players. He’s one of the best,” Karlsson said. “It’s exciting. I’ll get to see him a lot more than I used to in the past. I don’t think we’ll have too many direct one-on-one battles since we both play defense, but it’ll be a good challenge.”

As much as Karlsson enjoys taking on Doughty, it seems like this could end up being a one-sided rivalry, similar to the San Francisco’s unreciprocated obsession with trying to one-up Los Angeles. In his interview with the Athletic, Doughty acknowledged that he can get caught up in trying to outplay and outscore Karlsson when they go head-to-head instead of focusing on the bottom line: win.

But for Karlsson, once the puck drops, hockey is hockey.

“We play against great players on a daily basis,” Karlsson said. “It’s fun to play against guys you get compared to, but I don’t worry about what he does. He has to do what he has to do to be good for his team and I do the same for mine. At the end of the day, it’s going to be San Jose against L.A. I’ll let other people do the talking.”

And what about the Pacific Division’s other top-scoring blue liner? Is there any truth to Doughty’s suggestion that sharing the puck will be difficult between he and Burns, who’s recorded at least 320 shots on goal in each of his last three seasons?

“Of course (Doughty’s) going to say that,” Karlsson said with a chuckle. “I don’t know, I don’t think it’s going to be an issue. We’re both great guys, great teammates. We’re going to do what we need to do for this team to be successful, and yeah, there’s only one puck out there, that’s why hockey’s a game.”

2. Stamped in Barclay Goodrow’s memory is a day in Charlotte, N.C. that changed the trajectory of his career, putting him on the path to signing a two-year, $1.85 million contract with the Sharks.

After suiting up for 60 NHL games during his rookie season in 2014-15, the undrafted forward got demoted to the AHL Barracuda just 14 games into head coach Pete DeBoer’s first season with the Sharks. By Nov. 25, 2015, Barracuda coach Roy Sommer bumped Goodrow all the way down to the team’s fourth line for a game against the Charlotte Checkers, displeased with the lack of sandpaper in his game.

“He just isn’t getting the job done,” Sommer said in December 2015. “He’s going to need to play a harder game if he wants to get back up to (the Sharks).”

The message clearly hit home.

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When the Barracuda returned to San Jose, Goodrow reinvented his game. He racked up 13 points (9g, 4a) in his next 12 games, earning an invitation to the AHL All-Star Classic.

At the time, Goodrow called his demotion to the Barracuda’s fourth line a “wake up call.”

“It was in Charlotte. The fact that I remember which game that was proves that it was a look-in-the-mirror kind of thing. Let’s go here, you’ve got to change something, you’ve got to get better,” Goodrow said. “From that point on, I proved a lot and kept building my game.”

Despite Goodrow’s instant turnaround, the Sharks forced him to put in his time in with the Barracuda to earn his ticket back to the NHL. Goodrow finished the 2015-16 season with 39 points in 57 AHL games. Then, he spent another full year with the Barracuda, leading the team in goals (25) before earning a spot on the Sharks roster out of training camp last season.

“When he started here, he wasn’t good and he went from the first line to the fourth line,” Sommer told the Mercury News last year. “To his credit, he worked himself out of it and became probably our most potent player.”

By the time Goodrow rejoined the Sharks last season he’d turned himself into a prototypical Pete DeBoer fourth liner. The Sharks rewarded the 25-year old by giving him a healthy pay raise and two years of job security Thursday.

“He deserves it,” DeBoer said. “It hasn’t been an easy road: undrafted, played early and had to take a step back and then reestablished himself in the organization. You have all the time in the world for a guy like that.”

3. After the Sharks opening night clunker against the Anaheim Ducks, Pete DeBoer left a small crack in the door, leaving open the possibility of sitting Martin Jones in Friday’s clash with the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center.

Jones surrendered four goals on his first 13 shots Wednesday, including a marshmallow to Brandon Montour in the third period that wound up being the game-winning goal. The performance gives Jones an .860 save percentage in four appearances since the beginning of the preseason.

But decision time came, DeBoer opted to give Jones another opportunity to work off the rust. It doesn’t hurt that Jones boasts a career .931 save percentage in 14 regular season appearances against his former-squad.